LANXESS opens Krefeld lab to test iron‑based LFP battery materials

New laboratory

LANXESS has opened a battery laboratory at its Krefeld‑Uerdingen site to test and develop battery materials based on iron oxide and iron phosphate. The facility enables direct testing of material properties in battery cells so LANXESS and customers can more quickly assess impacts on cell performance, processability and suitability for specific applications.

Capabilities and scope

The laboratory’s technical equipment is also suitable for other battery types, such as sodium‑ion batteries that use sodium iron pyrophosphate as a cathode material. LANXESS says the facility brings material development and cell testing closer together, giving an earlier indication of whether a material works in a real cell assembly.

Market context

The market for LFP batteries is growing rapidly across use cases including electric vehicles, stationary energy storage, data centers and critical infrastructure. In China, three‑quarters of EVs use LFP; Roland Berger forecasts LFP will achieve a 50% share in Europe by 2030, up from about 10% today. New value chains are emerging in Europe and North America to reduce dependency on Asian suppliers.

Products and value‑chain support

LANXESS, a leading Western manufacturer of iron oxide with over 100 years of experience, has developed battery‑grade iron oxides and iron phosphate precursors; its battery grades are already on the market and received the 2024 ICIS Innovation Award. The company also supplies electrolyte salts, Lewatit ion‑exchange resins for extracting and refining lithium, nickel and cobalt, thermal‑management fluids, flame‑retardant solutions, colorants for high‑voltage components, and chemicals and resins for processing black mass and recovering metals in recycling.